No17. Term 4, Week 3, 20th October 2021
- Principal's News
- Staggered Return to School
- Health and Safety Measures at School
- Drop off and Pick up Procedures
- Visitors to School
- Communication
- Tips for Transitioning back to School
- What is happening in Critical & Creative Thinking?
- Uniform Expectations
- 1/2 WOW Wall and Video
- Community News
- National Bird Week 18th - 24th October
Principal's News
If you missed the important updates from Mr Micallef on Monday and Tuesday this week, make sure you follow these links:
Thanks to the 37 families that have so far submitted their School Improvement Survey. The more families who contribute, the more valid the data we have to analyse and consider areas for making our great school even better. YOU HAVE 9 DAYS LEFT! If you haven't completed your survey, check your emails and follow the link. The survey only takes about 15 minutes and is easy to do.
Staggered Return to School
We are on the way to welcoming our students back to face-to-face learning. This is so exciting and we have already enjoyed re-uniting with our preps who spend three days at school this week. Tomorrow, we welcome our 1/2s back to school for two days.
See below for an outline of the plan as it stands currently.
Health and Safety Measures at School
Parents can feel reassured that we are constantly reviewing and updating our Covid-safe plan to ensure we are doing all we can to ensure the health and safety of our students and staff. Some of these measures include:
- Staff and student temperature testing each morning
- Sanitiser is made available in every classroom
- Staff and students are required to practice ongoing hygienic practices such as hand washing
- Coughing and sneezing education
- High touch items and surfaces sanitized twice daily
- Social distancing of adults in staffrooms and offices
- Restriction of all non-essential visitors to the school
- Postponement of excursions and incursions
- Postponement of assemblies and joint class activities
- Reintroduction of level bubbles, to prevent contact between staff and students from different levels (including on the playground)
- Each building and play area is restricted to a designated student level and staff group, to further prevent contact across levels.
- Students or staff who are feeling unwell are sent home or restricted from entering the school.
We must work together to protect our students and staff.
Keeping the coronavirus out of our school requires a team effort. Here is what we need parents to do to play their part:
- Keep students at home if they display any cold or flu-like symptoms.
- As soon as a child or family members feels unwell (even in the slightest), get tested for Covid-19 immediately and isolate until you receive a negative result.
- If you are a designated primary contact, you must isolate until clearance is given by the Department of Health.
- You must notify the school of ANY positive case of Covid-19 in your household as soon as you can.
Drop off and Pick up Procedures
The return of contactless drop off and pick up procedures have been reinstated and apply for all students attending face-to-face learning or the supervised program. We thank everyone for their cooperation and patience as we re-learn the procedure.
- Morning Drop off times:
- 8:30 - 8:45am Gr 3-6
- 8:45 - 9:00am Gr P-2 (& families with students in P-2 and 3-6)
- Afternoon Pick up times:
- 3:15 - 3:30pm Gr 3-6
- 3:30 - 3:45pm Gr P-2 (& families with students in P-2 and 3-6)
Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, remember the efficiency of the pick system in the afternoon relies on families with GREEN NAME LABELS (that's any family with a student in P-2) does not arrive at the school to pick up their children before 3:30pm.
*Please note that the pick up times in the video are from 2020. For the correct pick up time, see above.
Visitors to School
At this time, no visitors are permitted to be on the school grounds without prior arrangement. If you need to collect you child early from school or wish to come in and speak with Trish or Michelle in the office, please call first. Our school phone number 9709 8600.
Communication
We value our partnership with families and want to ensure that we maintain strong lines of communication. This is especially important when times are confusing and changing rapidly. Below is a list of each of the mediums we use regularly.
- The fortnightly newsletter
- Operoo
- SZ App
- Telephone
- School website
The link below provides you with a more detailed document that explains how each of these mediums are used. There is also instructions on how to setup SZ App on you mobile device.
Tips for Transitioning back to School
What is happening in Critical & Creative Thinking?
The children of Grade 1/2 were introduced to being critical and creative thinkers this year and we have had a lot of fun exploring how we all are fabulous, flexible thinkers. This was definitely put into practice with us going into lock down for so long. The children have been very resourceful in using what they have at home to challenge themselves and be creative.
Well done to Aaliyah (1/2AL), Saket (1/2DC), Leon (1/2FE), Ira (1/2HE), Zara (1/2HE), Kiara (1/2LO) and Amelia (1/2RO) for sharing their inspiratinal creations.
Uniform Expectations
A reminder to all families that when students return to school, they will need to be wearing their school uniform. It doesn't matter which uniform. It can be summer, winter or sport. (But please don't mix the uniforms). Regardless of which uniform students are wearing, they do require hats, which need to be worn whenever a student is outside between the hours of 10am and 4pm.
Beleza, our uniform supplier is currently open and accepting 'click and collect' and online orders. See below for further information.
As per the state government's directions, it is a requirement for all Year 3-6 students to wear a mask whenever indoors, unless they have a medical exempton (we require a doctor's certificate). We suggest families encourage their children to begin getting used to wearing one now if they feel this will be uncomfortable. (Prep - year 2 students are encouraged to wear a mask, but it is not compulsory).
Great News!!
We have stock of our St Kevin's microfibre adjustable hats in the Office. There are two sizes available, S/M and L/XL $15.00 each.
Payment can be made by credit card over the phone directly to the Office or you may send $15 in a sealed envelope with your child to school.
Remember, Term 1 and Term 4 requires all children to wear a hat outside at all times.
1/2 WOW Wall and Video
Community News
National Bird Week 18th - 24th October
National Bird Week
National Bird Week 2021 will take place between Monday 18 October and Sunday 24 October.
The celebration of National Bird Week has its origins back in the early 1900s when 28 October was first designated by our predecessor, the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union, as the first ‘Bird Day’. BirdLife Australia organises and promotes Bird Week with the goal of inspiring Australians to take action and get involved in bird conservation efforts.
Aussie Backyard Bird Count |
BirdLife Australia brings you the Aussie Backyard Bird Count, one of Australia's biggest citizen science events!
Celebrate National Bird Week by taking part in the Aussie Backyard Bird Count — you will be joining thousands of people from across the country who will be heading out into their backyards, local parks or favourite outdoor spaces to take part.
To get involved all you need is 20 minutes, your favourite outdoor space (this doesn’t have to be your actual backyard), and some keen eyesight. And it doesn’t matter if you’re a novice or an expert — we will be there to help you out. Simply record the birds you know and look up those you don’t on our ‘Aussie Bird Count’ app or our website. You’ll instantly see live statistics and information on how many people are taking part near you and the number of birds and species counted in your neighbourhood and the whole of Australia!
Not only will you get to know your feathered neighbours, but you’ll be contributing to a vital pool of information from across the nation that will help us see how Australian birds are faring.
So get your friends and family together during National Bird Week, head into the great outdoors and start counting!